Hello,
I played the original test cd that was sent out, and was totally chuffed to get my full version in the mail last week. Excellent stuff.
Anyway, I'm having a lot more trouble using the depth charges and hedgehogs than before. Here's a couple of quick q's:-
1. For the depth charges, the game used to make a different noise when you hit a sub, so you know you got the depth right. Does it still do that? And is there any way of actually identifying the depth the sub is at? I ask before the flower only has enough charges for a few patterns, and after you've dropped patterns at each depth to try and work out where he is, you generally have almost run out. I remember from the old navy movies that the sonar ping would indicate the depth to some extent, and am hoping there's some way around the problem I'm having.
2. In relation to the hedgehogs, what part of the 500 yard radar indicates the area the hedgehogs will fall at? Is it the most distant range line? It would be much easier if I knew exactly at what point I should fire, rather than just randomly throwing them about!
Thanks to anyone who replies. Once again, excellent job on the game.
regards,
There are a number of links here and on the Tips and Tactics page that will help with depth-charges. Suffice it to say, the full game is a lot harder than the demo (in my opinion) - and that's a good thing. Historicaly, killing a sub was not an easy task, and the fact that this game makes it tough keeps me coming back for more...
As for sub depth, you need to make an educated guess. If you have panicked a sub and it has taken evasive action, chances are he has gone deep. If you have caught him near the surface, making a shot, he will probably be less than 55m when you get to him.
The most important thing you need to know about dropping charges is that you need to drop them *ahead* of the sub. Don't try dropping them when you are directly over the sub... or by the time the charges are at their depth, the sub will be a couple of lengths beyond them.
As a rule of thumb, try dropping shallow depth charges a half to one subs length (on the RADAR/ASDIC) ahead of the sub. For deep charges, drop them one to two lengths ahead.
The Hedgehog is great. If/when you do get a "Hedgehog kill" it is very rewarding. But getting such a kill with it is really, really tough.
Assuming a flat calm sea, the Hedgehog has a range somewhere near the third line out (on the 500m scale).
However, (and this is what makes the hog tricky to use) if the sea is heavy, and you fire when the ship is pitching up, the range will be slightly further. If your ship is pitching down, the range will be slightly less.
Don't forget to allow for your quarry's trajectory too. You need to put the mines ahead of the target sub. If he is moving towards you, you need to fire slightly short of him. If he is running away, fire just beyond him.
Phew! I told you it was tricky. All the more rewarding when you get it right...
BTW:
Don't expect a hit with the Hedgehog to always kill a sub outright. Remember that the hull of a sub will take a fair amount of damage before it breaches.
On more than one occasion I have sprayed a sub with Hedgehog mines and heard them detonate under the water (on impact with the sub's hull) without killing the sub. The Hedgehog needs to be used in conjuction with sustained depth-charge attacks to complete the kill.
The link is very interesting! Especially the picture showing the Charges Depth-control mecanism. It looks like it is graduated in increments for depth explosion altitude (30, 70, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400feet, etc...), but that it was a rotary contraption that you could fine-tune if necessary (like rotate it to explode approximately to 325Feet) but this tuning seemed to be far less precise under 300 feet (smaller inside dial).
Does anyone knows how the depths for the explosion of the charges were set in real life? Was it always a round number, or were there variations? Also was the depth mechanism very precise? there must have been some margin of error, especially at greater depths.
@Licinius
In real life and in enigma, the hedgehogs explodes on impact (eg. when they hit a sub).
I know that! I was talking about regular depth charges!!! There was a sub-section about them in the link you provided above. Very interesting.@Licinius
In real life and in enigma, the hedgehogs explodes on impact (eg. when they hit a sub).
Here is an interesting answer, that I received from another web site, to my original question:
> Bob Wilson passed your e-mail on to me to try to give you ananswer.
>
> First, I was the ASW Officer on the F. M. Robinson and it was customary
> to send the depth charge settings down to the fantail for setting prior to > firing the K-guns or rolling the charges off the stern racks. Originally we > would set the charges at either 200, 250, or 300 feet. It was considered > that very few submarines were apt to be at depths in excess of 300 feet. > Later, when we were equipped with the 147-B depth finding sonar (British > Sword) we could get the depth settings more realistic. Ideally you would > like the charges to go off at or slightly below the submarines depth.
>
> The whole depth charge process was noisy and a lot of show but not very > effective. Development of the Hedgehog launcher (forward throwing
> contact detonation weapon) proved more beneficial and it was that
> weapon that provided the Robinson with its recognized kill of the RO601.
>
> Currently smart torpedoes are the attack weapons.